Kids expected to eat 17,000 calories worth of chocolate this Easter

According to new research the average child will receive a whopping 17,700 calories worth of chocolate this Easter.

That’s over double the recommended allowance across the full four-day bank holiday weekend for a child aged 7-10, and 10 times the recommended daily sugar allowance.

With parents, friends, family and even teachers potentially adding to the Easter chocolate haul, the research collated and analysed by Wren Kitchens suggests the average child is gifted a chocolate trove of:

• 4 small chocolate eggs

• 5 medium chocolate eggs

• 4 large chocolate eggs

• 4 bags of Mini Eggs

• 4 Creme Eggs

• 3.5 Lindt bunnies

• 3 mini Kinder Eggs

• 3 chocolate bars.

That tots up to an incredible 2000g of sugar (that’s 500 teaspoons) and 1000g of fat. Even eating this across the four-day bank holiday weekend would not come close to the RDI – a child’s sugar intake of this magnitude be spread over 83 days.

Registered Nutritionist Charlotte Stirling-Reed comments on the findings: “As a Registered Nutritionist, I’m not here to take ALL the fun out of Easter.

“However, these figures are quite alarming and it’s easy to see how the numbers can easily add up over an Easter weekend.

“Additionally, if we were to combine these figures with those from other occasions when children are likely to overindulge (Christmas, birthdays, parties, holidays, weekends) you can see how it may become less of a treat and more or a regular occurrence.

“Add this to the fact that many children eat chocolates and sweets every day, and then their intake of calories, fat and sugar really become a concern.

“There are plenty of ways to celebrate family occasions and events such as Easter without over relying on chocolate and sweets.

“Fun activities and trips together, playing games, picnics and even doing some baking at home can all be just as enjoyable and much more healthy too!”

Last year, Wren Kitchens discovered 96 per cent of British parents were interested in creating healthier food habits for their family. Yet, just one in three parents surveyed this year said they would NOT be buying chocolatey Easter treats for their children, with a mere six per cent of mums and dads introducing a healthy alternative to sugar-filled sweets or treating the kids to a fun day out instead (just 22 per cent said they do this).